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Sunday, January 18, 2015

The Proud and the Prejudiced

Blurb:Alice McGillicutty, headwriter for soap opera All My Tomorrows, has had enough drama. Her mother passed away, her relationship ended in disaster, and poor ratings are catapulting the long-running soap toward cancellation. For comfort and inspiration, she reads an old melodramatic paperback she found among her mother’s belongings.When scandal rips Hollywood bad-boy Peter Walsingham off the tabloids and into her studio, Alice doubts the small screen is big enough for his ego – or his entourage. Will Peter’s arrogance compel Alice to write him out of her script, or can she find a role for him in All My Tomorrows?

Enchanting Excerpt: “Come in,” Alice said without lifting her eyes from her book.“Mrs. McGillicutty, we need to talk about –”At the sound of Peter’s voice Alice raised her head, and he broke off. She scowled. “Mrs.?”He froze in the doorway. “It’s you,”“Not if you are looking for Mrs. McGillicutty. Why would you presume I am married?”“I – well…with a name like McGillicutty, I assumed…”“You assume every female McGillicutty emerges from the womb married?”The shock from recognition fell away as his face relaxed. “No, of course not. I apologize if I offended you, Miss McGillicutty.”She pointed at a chair with her pen. “Alice will do. You have something to discuss?”He closed the door and took the offered seat. She was too pissed off at him to be star-struck, and she had prepared for this conversation.“I saw you on the set,” he said. “I assumed you were an actress on the show.”“You assume quite a lot, Mr. Walsingham.”“Peter. You can call me Peter.”“What an honor. Now, why are you here?”“Yes. About my character. Tristram.”“Tristan.”“Tristan. Right. I don’t want that role.”“Oh? And why might that be?”“He was lost at sea and declared dead. The premise is ridiculous.”“No, it isn’t; it happens all the time.”“Like when?”“Well, there’s My Favorite Wife; Move Over, Darling; Gilligan.”“That’s fiction. I mean it’s not realistic. Besides, Move Over, Darling is a remake of My Favorite Wife.”Although amused at his knowledge of old romance movies, she would not let it divert her. “Realistic? So you really are a war veteran slash forensic pathologist who will not rest until he avenges the murder of his wife? No wonder you embodied your role on COD.”He smiled at her. Oh, dear Lord, he’s smiling at me. “I take your point.”